Best Laid Plaids (Kilty Pleasures #1) by Ella Stainton

 
Best Laid Plaids by Ella Stainton 
My Rating: ★★

I received a copy from Carina Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dr. Ainsley Graham set his career on fire when he went public with the claim that ghosts are real and that he has been communicating with them. Since then, he’s spent his time drinking and floating around as he desires since the world thinks he’s odd. When Joachim Cockburn is sent his way to check out known hauntings in Scotland, Ainsley thinks he’s just another person coming to poke fun at him for his beliefs. What he did not expect was an extremely sexy man to come knocking at the door. Even more shocking, he wasn’t even expecting Joachim when he arrives, so Ainsley puts the moves on him in a case of mistaken identity. What else could possibly go wrong?

This book had me at spooky romance set in 1920s Scotland. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t care for the story. The book told through the rotating perspectives of Ainsley and Joachim. Despite seeing things through their perspectives, I quickly discovered that I didn’t particularly care for either character. Ainsley is arrogant, both flighty and clingy, and doesn’t know what he wants on top of shutting down when he does get what he was hoping for. Meanwhile, Joachim is arrogant in a different sense while closed off and stiff. I couldn’t connect with either of them in addition to not being interested in following them as I continued to read. The romance couldn’t been on fire if the two didn’t keep waffling about each other to the very end.

Honestly, I found myself more interested in the hauntings, which were sadly lackluster. I would say this is a romance with a touch of paranormal. I was really interested in the ghosts along with the other characters, including Ainsley’s sister. I think I was happiest whenever a chapter came along that included a gathering of characters because I didn’t care for the leads.

I wouldn’t say that this is a bad book. I do think that Ella Stainton had something going here, but I just didn’t care for Ainsley and Joachim as characters and the romance didn’t seem all that romantic to me. If you like romance novels that are sex without the romancing, this might be something you’ll like.

The Tea Dragon Society (Tea Dragon #1) by Katie O'Neill

 

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill
My Rating: ★★★★★

Greta is a blacksmith apprentice not sure that she wants to learn blacksmithing when, one day, she stumbles upon a tea dragon. Saving the tea dragon from being attacked, she becomes immersed in their world, learning it’s a dying art. Learning about tea dragons and how to care for them open her eyes to a whole new world, which makes her appreciate blacksmithing and how even the little things in life can create new memories and take on lives on their own.

This book is absolutely adorable, heartwarming, and beautiful. I read a Katie O’Neill book before, so I was excited to finally pick up this book because her artwork is stunning in addition to creating magical and heartwarming stories. I was not disappointed one bit. We follow Greta as she enters the world of tea dragons, creating new friends and learning to appreciate even the little things and their impact along the way. She’s such a sweet and caring character who is really thoughtful and curious. Greta makes a wonderful protagonist, so I loved following her adventures.

Along the way, we meet various characters who become Greta’s new friends. Hesekiel and Erik are tea shop owners who care for tea dragons, and Minette is their ward who has lost much of her memory. These are the characters we see most, in addition to Greta of course, and they are positively sweet and magical in their own ways.

The artwork is absolutely beautiful. I would honestly buy a giant poster of any panel from this book and put it on my wall. Plus, O’Neill makes a point to represent different skin colors, LGBT characters, and disabilities. I can’t wait to pick up the next book in the series. It’s bound to be just as wonderful as this series opener.

Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger

 
Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger
My Rating: ★★★★★

If you’re looking for a bit of history on women writing horror, then this is the book for you. I picked this up because I rarely hear people talking about how long women have been writing horror. As soon as I opened the book, I got very excited because it goes back as far as the 1600s and talks about the lives of the authors focused on in each section in addiction to the books that they wrote.

One of the things I like about this book is that it’s separated into sections with authors that fall under that section. You can find anything from gothic to pulp fiction covered along with the authors who wrote them. There’s also a reading list for each other, which is great for anyone who returns to the book later looking to quickly find something new to read from one of the authors featured.

Plus, it’s not daunting to anyone who normally avoids fiction. Each chapter is extremely engaging and is bound to keep anyone glued to the pages. It’s truly a book that is both a guide and biography.

Animal Embroidery Workbook: Step-by-Step Techniques & Patterns for 30 Cute Critters & More by Jessica Long

 
Animal Embroidery Workbook by Jessica Long

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from HarperCollins Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As someone new to embroidery, I thought this book would be a great help on top of having cute patterns and was not disappointed. The opening has a lot of good information on the basics of getting started, including the different ways to put the outline of a pattern on fabric based on the type of fabric you are using. I also love the finishing techniques that are included, especially the double hoop. I was aware of most of these methods since I’m a cross stitcher, but I’ve never seen the double hoop finishing method and I can’t wait to try it.

There is a comprehensive stitch guide included, which is great for beginners like me. If any stitch does not make sense, it is easy to look how a how-to video and it suddenly makes sense. Plus, the patterns have tips geared toward each pattern, such as how to make transferring that particular pattern easier on yourself or choosing a fabric shade to make it pop. There are little ideas on how to take the patterns to the next level if you’re up to it and things like that. I think it’s a great touch.

I absolutely love this book and plan on purchasing it. I can’t wait to make my favorite pattern included, Honeybee Love, when I think I’m up to making something a little more complex. All in all, I think it’s a great book all around and can’t wait to make some of the patterns included.

Bread of the Dead (Santa Fe Cafe Mystery #1) by Ann Myers

 

Bread of the Dead by Ann Myers
My Rating: ★★★

Rita is starting her life over as a single parent and chef working at the Tres Amigas Café under her friend and snoopy boss, Flori. Life is good when the main mystery in her sight is Flori’s obsession with a potential cheater in the Day of the Dead bread-baking contest when her daughter discovers her landlord dead. Shaken to the core, Rita becomes convinced that her landlord was murdered while her bitter ex complains about the imaginary crime and her amateur investigating.

I decided to pick up this series opener because it seemed like a good cozy to read given Halloween is coming up. The more I read it, the more I was glad that I picked it up because it was so funny. Between Rita’s shenanigans and Flori’s fun personality in addition to her own shenanigans, I was having a good time laughing while reading. Myers brings such a great cast of characters to the table that it is the real selling point of the book. There are very few unlikable characters, and trust me, you’ll know who they are when you see them. I could honestly follow this entire series for however long it goes on for just for the characters and their hilarious antics. It’s truly what we all need, especially right now when we’re all having such a bleak year.

Plus, the food descriptions had me ready to eat. I was surprised that there wasn’t a recipe at the back of the book like there usually is with books following bakers and chefs, but it’s not a dealbreaker. I can make much of the food that was described, and I love to bake on top of that. However, if you look forward to making a recipe the characters in these types of cozies were making, be aware that there isn’t one featured in the book.

That said, I do think the mystery itself was lacking. All suspects were obviously red herrings, but the buildup on the actual killer was lacking so they seemed like a red herring as well. I wish there was some foreshadowing or a lead that pointed in this character’s direction earlier on. By the time the character seems like they might be suspicious, everything is revealed and then we’re suddenly at the final chapter wrapping up the book.

As much as it hurts me to give a book I loved three stars, this is a cozy mystery and mystery is something that this book lacked. I will be checking out the next book, but I hope the mystery aspect is something that improves over time because I think that Myers has something good going here.

Wayward Witch (Brooklyn Brujas #3) by Zoraida Córdova

 
Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova
My Rating: ★★

Rose’s life has been turned upside down. First, she was accidentally trapped in a tree by Alex. Then she had to deal with zombies and everything that came with it thanks to her other sister, Lula. On top of that, she found out that her magic is much different than what she thought it was. Now that her death day has creeped up, she’s convinced her family’s happiness is a band-aid that’s about to be ripped off. Her father’s return is not what her family imagined it would be, and she’s convinced everyone is just pretending to be happy instead of enjoying the lull before the next big crisis. Then she finds out her father has been lying about not remembering his time in the fairy realm, and it opens a whole new can of worms.

I absolutely loved the first two books in the series, so I was excited to read the third and final book in the trilogy. I wish I could say I loved this as much as the previous books. Sadly, I have mixed feelings about this one. Something seems to be missing and I can’t put my finger on what that is other than it felt unfinished when I got to the end. I got to the final chapter and said, “That’s it?” I watched Rose go through so much before finally getting back to her family only to find the closing very rushed and lacking in heart and substance. Unless I’m mistaken and this isn’t the end of the series, this was a pretty lackluster and rushed way to tie up the story in the final chapters.

That said, there is a lot of good here. Rose narrates the final book, and it was so much fun to see the world through her eyes. On top of this, we get a whole new cast of characters when she finds herself abducted and taken to a fairy realm called Adas. The descriptions are so beautiful, and the characters are so complex, that I had a lot of fun watching her journey progress. I loved the new characters so much. I wish that more of them were developed more than they were, but not enough to make me feel that any of them were lacking.

However, I do think that the fast pace and sheer number of new characters was confusing at times, especially early on. It took me a hot minute to get the characters down because it seemed like someone new was popping up everywhere I turned. It’s also fast paced, but it still somehow left me feeling like a lot and nothing happened at the same time. I came out of the book feeling like I got dropped out of a crazy whirlwind where too much and not enough happened. It’s entirely possible that we’re meant to feel this way, but it’s still a strange feeling.

All in all, while the characters and setting is great, I find that this is the weakest link in the series. I hope it turns out that this is not a trilogy because there are a lot of loose ends that have been left open, and I think that there is a lot more story that can be told especially since it feels so unfinished. I’ve got my fingers crossed that a novella or fourth book in the series is something that occurs somewhere down the line.

WitchCraft Cocktails: From Aphrodite's Love Potion to Mercurial Grounding Elixir, 75 Seasonal Drinks Infused with Magic and Ritual by Julia Halina Hadas

 

WitchCraft Cocktails by Julia Halina Hadas

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Adams Media through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw this book, I knew I had to check it out because it seemed like an interesting take on cocktails. I knew it was inspired by witchcraft, but I was still pleasantly surprised by how the author combined cocktails and witchcraft. I could tell that she is a practicing witch as well as a well-versed bartender right away.

The book starts out with a bit of history on alcohol, witchcraft, and general herb preservation. She also goes through the basics of bartending, which includes tools and techniques, as well as getting into the ingredients and how to combine witchcraft with drink making. It was a very interesting read and I rather enjoyed the opening.

Once I got to the drinks, I was amazed by the wide range of drinks and the information she includes with each one. Other than the delightful pictures, there is a bit of information on what inspired each drink and what properties the drinks have. While majority of the drinks are alcoholic beverages, there are some non-alcoholic drinks mixed in. I also like that the end of the book includes a list of classic cocktails and an herbal intentions list to encourage readers to try their hand at creating their own drinks based on tastes and what they hope to invoke.

Whether or not witchcraft or general herbal properties and what they can do for you is something you’re interested in, I think this is a great book. There’s a wide variety of delicious looking and sounding drinks along with detailed bartending tips and recipes on how to make some ingredients from scratch. I think that it’s a great book for anyone interested in expanding their cocktail recipes.